The work of this "frustrated pilot," as he defines himself, goes beyond the walls of the workshop he opened just before the pandemic. Alberto Peña (Madrid, 1988) is a mechanic specialized in preparing street cars for the track, a task he has managed to showcase thanks to social media. The more than 25,000 followers of Evetech Motorsport on Instagram witness the marathon days that his team spends in the race pits. "What I like most about the world of competition is that the car has to get out on the track no matter what," he expresses.
This mechanic, who won the European Formula 3 championship with Emilio Puccini's team in his first year of assistance, has gained experience in single-brand championships such as the McLaren Trophy, the Ferrari Challenge, and the Porsche Carrera Cup in Germany. Currently, what he values most when training his team is the good working atmosphere: "In the motorsport world, there is a lot of ego and testosterone, and for many mechanics, their way of asserting themselves is by tripping up others. That's when mistakes happen," explains Peña. One of Evetech's specialized services is the dynamometer, which measures the exact horsepower of the cars they prepare, something that "can make the difference between winning and finishing second," he asserts.
"The difference between a scare and an accident"
But beyond racing, Alberto also repairs cars on foot in his workshop in Fuenlabrada, and although repairs on these vehicles can be postponed, it is not the most recommended. "At the very least, oil, filters, brakes, and tires must be in perfect condition, because with normal use, you won't notice it, but it can make the difference between an accident and a scare if you have to swerve," warns the expert, who emphasizes that these four car elements should not be neglected for safety reasons. Peña advocates on the social media platforms of his workshop for the use of quality spare parts and acknowledges that, in terms of maintenance, the user can't do much more to extend the lifespan.
Alberto Peña, at the facilities of Evetech Motorsport in Fuenlabrada, Madrid
At least oil, filters, brakes, and tires must be in perfect condition
In his personal ranking, despite his devotion to German brands, he believes that Asian cars offer greater reliability. "Brands like Toyota focus a lot on quality tests and road tests, while Audi or Volkswagen sell the development of innovative technologies," he argues. Among the worst he has seen in his workshop in terms of quality-price ratio, he mentions brands like Land Rover or Jaguar, with "repairs too expensive for cars costing 100,000 euros," he says.
In fact, another one of their flagship contents is the detection of breakdown patterns according to the model. But if there is a problem that is common to all models and brands of the last two decades, Peña leans towards particulate filters. "Part of the soot and gases that are avoided from being emitted into the atmosphere end up recirculating and accumulating in the engine, especially in vehicles that make short trips," argues the mechanic regarding the importance of respecting the changes of this component.
"The new cars depreciate a lot"
Electromechanics is one of Evetech's specialties, and in light of the mandatory incorporation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in vehicles manufactured from July onwards, Alberto predicts an increase in repair costs. "Electrical breakdowns take the most time by far, and diagnostic machines require a significant investment," he states. These issues primarily affect cars with these systems that are over ten years old when "the cables harden and the sensors get clogged," explains Peña, who admits to preferring traditional mechanics for being much more intuitive.
Peña is also a lover of classic cars and is the owner of the 1974 Datsun 260Z, seen on the right in the image.
Despite the safety and comfort they offer, another aspect that does not quite convince this self-confessed petrolhead about electric cars lies in the sensations they provide while driving. "For me, disconnecting is going up a mountain pass or giving it a couple of accelerations, and that adrenaline rush cannot be provided by a modern car," says Peña, owner of an Audi B7 with a V8 engine and manual transmission. Additionally, this mechanic recommends buying a used car with low mileage because new ones "depreciate a lot," he opines, but admits that if he had to choose one, he would go for a Porsche 911 GT3 RS.